People tend to enjoy relaxing outdoors, such as sitting in a chair, reclining in a chaise lounge, and the like. Although being outdoors has its advantages, exposure to the elements can be detrimental to a person. Direct exposure to the sun can overheat an individual. A shaded area is generally cooler than an area exposed to direct sunlight. One study found a temperature variance between an area under direct sunlight and the same area having a sunshade to range from a 14 degrees Fahrenheit difference on a lawn to a 35 degrees Fahrenheit difference on a parking lot. One can then readily understand that an individual enjoying the outdoors (such as by a pool, on the beach, and the like) would experience a decrease in temperature of between 14 and 35 degrees Fahrenheit if ready shade is available. This temperature difference could significantly enhance the outdoor experience for the individual.
In addition to the effects of the temperature, the sun also emits harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The harmful effects from exposure to UV radiation can be classified as acute or chronic. The acute effects of UV-A and UV-B exposure are both short-lived and reversible. These effects include mainly sunburn (or erythema) and tanning (or pigment darkening). The chronic effects of UV exposure can be much more serious, even life threatening, and include premature aging of the skin, suppression of the immune system, damage to the eyes, and skin cancer.
Due to the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation, it is important to provide adequate protection from direct sunlight. The degree of protection required can be determined by the individual's location on the earth, the sun's varied location in the sky, weather (e.g., cloud cover, fog, and rain), smoke and the like. Protection from the undesirable effects of UV radiation can be provided by use of sunscreen, a sunshade, and the like.
Typical sunshades, including beach chair umbrellas, include a conventionally designed umbrella having a centrally disposed umbrella shaft supporting a bell-shaped canopy via a framework comprising a series of expanding ribs supported by a series of stretchers, These devices are often bulky and awkward to transport, The canopy of a standard umbrella provides a limited shaded area to the user, and is not particularly well-suited for use with structures requiring a larger or elongated region of shade, such as a chaise lounge chair. In addition, a typical sunshade is designed for use with a single product, for example a specific chair, and is not easily adaptable for use with other structures. Furthermore, current sunshades are not easily adjustable to provide continuous shade protection as the sun's position in the sky changes throughout the day.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for an effective sunshade that can easily be transported, is adaptable for use with a variety of structures, and is adjustable to provide continuous maximum shade protection.